Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 12:1-6.

 

“¹ A great sign appeared in heaven:  a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;  and she was with child;  and she *cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.

 

“From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron;  and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.” 

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 11:15-19.

 

“¹⁵ Then the seventh angel sounded;  and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

 

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ;  and He will reign forever and ever.”  ¹⁶ And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying,

 

“We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.  ¹⁸ And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

 

¹⁹ And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened;  and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.”  Revelation 11:15-19.

 

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At first glance, it may be puzzling to read in today’s Scripture that God “begun to reign” in verse 17 and that “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” in verse 15.  We know that God has reigned before then and that God reigns “forever and ever”.  But, this language makes us realize the importance to God’s reign of these last days, this judgment, and this wrath of God.

We see this a little in Psalm 2:6-9.

“⁶ “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 11:7-14.

 

“⁷ When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.  ⁸ And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.  ⁹ Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.  ¹⁰ And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate;  and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

 

¹¹ But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet;  and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.  ¹² And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”  Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.  ¹³ And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell;  seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

 

¹⁴ The second woe is past;  behold, the third woe is coming quickly.”  Revelation 11:7-14.

 

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It may seem like evil is winning.  The righteous are being killed.  And, everyone rejoices. 

 

 

“Then he (Elijah) said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts;  for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword.  And I alone am left;  and they seek my life, to take it away.”  1 Kings 19:14

 

But, God is still sovereign and in total control, and He commands us to stay on our job.

 

“The Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram;  and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel;  and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.  It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death.  Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”  I Kings 19:15-18.

 

It felt that way in Nehemiah’s days, even after God has given so many things to Israel. 

 

“²⁵ They captured fortified cities and a fertile land.
They took possession of houses full of every good thing,
Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves,
Fruit trees in abundance.
So they ate, were filled and grew fat,
And reveled in Your great goodness.”

 

²⁶ “But they became disobedient and rebelled against You,
And cast Your law behind their backs
And killed Your prophets who had admonished them
So that they might return to You,
And they committed great blasphemies.”  Nehemiah 9:25-26.

 

 

“²⁷ “Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their oppressors who oppressed them,
But when they cried to You in the time of their distress,
You heard from heaven, and according to Your great compassion
You gave them deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors.
²⁸ “But as soon as they had rest, they did evil again before You;
Therefore You abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they ruled over them.
When they cried again to You, You heard from heaven,
And many times You rescued them according to Your compassion,
²⁹ And admonished them in order to turn them back to Your law.
Yet they acted arrogantly and did not listen to Your commandments but sinned against Your ordinances,
By which if a man observes them he shall live.
And they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck, and would not listen.
³⁰ “However, You bore with them for many years,
And admonished them by Your Spirit through Your prophets,
Yet they would not give ear.
Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
³¹ “Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them,
For You are a gracious and compassionate God.”  Nehemiah 9:27-31. 

 

It may feel that way in these last days.  But, God is still sovereign and in total control, and He saves a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. 

 

“In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.  But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.”  Romans 11:5-6.

 

 So, what is the result of God’s sovereign actions?

                                    

“… and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.”  Verse 13.

                                      

“¹⁰ Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
¹¹ Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
¹² Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”  Psalm 2:10-12.

 

In conclusion, there are some who teach that man’s alleged “free will” will steer them right.  But, Reformed Doctrine teaches us to take refuge in God’s sovereign and gracious choice.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 11:3-6.

 

“³ And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”  ⁴ These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.  ⁵ And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies;  so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.  ⁶ These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying;  and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.”  Revelation 11:3-6.

 

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In today’s Scripture, I want to focus generally on the authority and power that God gives to us, His witnesses, to complete the work that He has for us to do.  Although these two witnesses later die and then come back to life, they “finished their testimony”.  Verse 7.

 

 

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;  and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20.

 

 

In the vision of the two olive trees, we read:  “Then I said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, “What are these, my lord?”  So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?”  And I said, “No, my lord.”  Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.  ‘What are you, O great mountain?  Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain;  and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”  Zechariah 4:4-7.   

 

“but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;  and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.””  Acts 1:8.

 

^“17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams;
¹⁸ Even on My bondslaves, both men and women,
I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit
And they shall prophesy.
¹⁹ ‘And I will grant wonders in the sky above
And signs on the earth below,
Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.
²⁰ ‘The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.
²¹ ‘And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”  Acts 2:17-21.

 

In conclusion, today’s Scripture should give us great encouragement.  No matter what happens in these last days that may seem so scary at times, God gives us authority and power to complete His work.  And like, Zerubbabel, we shall give all credit to God “with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 11:1-2.

 

“Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff;  and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.   Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations;  and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.”  Revelation 11:1-2.

 

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The measurement of the temple should make us meditate on the perfection, majesty, and glory of God and heaven.  The measurement of the temple should lead us to repentance and a desire to lead a holy life.  The measurement of the temple should lead us to praise God for His lovingkindness.   

 

One example comes from Ezekiel Chapters 40-43.  In Ezekiel’s vision after he measured the temple in great detail, we read:

 

“Then I (Ezekiel) heard one speaking to me from the house, while a man was standing beside me.  He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever.  And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their harlotry and by the corpses of their kings when they die, by setting their threshold by My threshold and their door post beside My door post, with only the wall between Me and them.  And they have defiled My holy name by their abominations which they have committed.  So I have consumed them in My anger.  Now let them put away their harlotry and the corpses of their kings far from Me;  and I will dwell among them forever.”  Ezekiel 43:6-9.

 

 

“¹ Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
In the city of our God, His holy mountain.
² Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion in the far north,
The city of the great King.
³ God, in her palaces,
Has made Himself known as a stronghold.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 10:8-11.

 

“Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.”   So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book.  And he *said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”  I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey;  and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.  And they *said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”  Revelation 10:8-11.

 

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God’s Word is our food.  “… Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”  Matthew 4:4

 

God’s Word also is more desirable to us and more sweeter to us than honey.

 

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 10:1-7.

 

“¹ I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud;  and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;  ² and he had in his hand a little book which was open.  He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land;  ³ and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars;  and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices.  ⁴ When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write;  and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.”  ⁵ Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven,  ⁶ and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer, ⁷ but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.”  Revelation 10:1-7.

 

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God “created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it”.  Verse 6.  It is almost as if we “fast forward” through this truth to get to what we think is more important and more interesting.  

 

But, when we pause to meditate upon this truth, then we recognize its application to the rest of today’s Scripture.  We are reminded that God created this strong angel to do His will.  We appreciate the “cross-over” use by God of “things in earth” such as clouds, rainbows, sun, fire, and thunder to be used also as images for things in heaven.  This “cross-over” use reminds us that there is one God Who created it all:  “heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it”.

 

We are reminded that this Creator is certainly sovereign and in total control.  We don’t think much of man and his alleged free-will.

 

Much of Revelation seems like a mystery, and the “mystery of God” in verse 7 and elsewhere may be a mystery to man, but we now better understand that it is not a mystery to the Creator.

 

“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘;
Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.

 

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 9:13-21.

 

“¹³ Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, ¹⁴ one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”  ¹⁵ And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.  ¹⁶ The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million;  I heard the number of them.  ¹⁷ And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them:  the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone;  and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions;  and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone.  ¹⁸ A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths.  ¹⁹ For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails;  for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.        

 

²⁰ The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;  ²¹ and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.”  Revelation 9:13-21.

                                             

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Despite all these punishments showing the power of God and his fierce wrath toward wickedness, “the rest of mankind” did not repent of their wickedness.  Verses 20 and 21.  This is another example of man’s “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

                                                                                                                                                                                

We are reminded of the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

                                                                

“¹⁹ “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.  ²⁰ And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, ²¹ and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table;  besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.  ²² Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom;  and the rich man also died and was buried.  ²³ In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.  ²⁴ And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’  ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things;  but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.  ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’  ²⁷ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— ²⁸ for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’  ²⁹ But Abraham *said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets;  let them hear them.’  ³⁰ But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’  ³¹ But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”  Luke 16:19-31.

                                                                                                                                   

Repentance is not just a matter of common sense and “free will”.  Man is dead in sin, hostile to God, and enslaved to sin and Satan which is this “Total Depravity”.  Man will not repent unless repentance is granted to him by God.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 9:1-11. 

 

“Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth;  and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.  He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace;  and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.  Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.  They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.  And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months;  and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.  And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them. 

 

The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle;  and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.  They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions.  They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle.  They have tails like scorpions, and stings;  and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.  They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.”  Revelation 9:1-11.

 

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We continue to read about God’s reign and wrath through the Seven Trumpets.  The events described today following the sounding of the fifth trumpet are more terrifying that what we read yesterday.

 

 

But, today, we have the assurance:  “They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads”.  Verse 4.

 

 

                                             

“But My righteous one shall live by faith;  And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”  Hebrews 10:38

 

“But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”  Hebrews 10:39

                                       

Reformed Doctrine best helps us believe that God protects us.  “Preservation of the Saints” is the “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

                                           

Reformed Doctrine teaches that God provides all that we need for salvation.

Reformed Doctrine teaches us about the benefits of belonging to the Lord.  We are His people, His sheep.  God is our Good Shepherd and will protect us.

As one example, consider Question and Answer 26 of the Heidelberg Catechism.

Question 26.  What believest thou when thou sayest, “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”?

Answer.  That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them;  who likewise upholds and governs the same by his eternal counsel and providence) is for the sake of Christ his Son, my God and my Father; on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt, but he will provide me with all things necessary for soul and body:  and further, that he will make whatever evils he sends upon me, in this valley of tears turn out to my advantage;  for he is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing, being a faithful Father.

Reformed Doctrine trains our senses to pick out such verses as Verse 4 in today’s Scripture and to remember other verses and Reformed creeds which teach us about God’s protection.

But, with other doctrine, there is no such assurances.  Other doctrine falsely teach that Christians can fall from grace and that man’s free-will is the only thing that cause Christians to persevere in their faith.  Such believers of this false doctrine may shrink back wondering if they will be so tormented by the events in today’s Scripture.

Reformed Doctrine assures us that “without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head”.

Consider Question and Answer 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism.

Question 1.  What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Answer.  That I with body and soul, both in life and death,  am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ;  who, with his precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil;  and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head;  yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him. 

In conclusion, Reformed Doctrine certainly does teach us that we may die and we may suffer.  But, we will not experience God’s wrath.  Let us generally remember that the events of the Seven Trumpets are a display of God’s wrath.  Let us specifically pay close attention to Verse 4:  “They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads”.  Let us not shrink back.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 8:6-13.

“⁶ And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.⁷ The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth;  and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

⁸ The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, ⁹ and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.

¹⁰ The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters.  ¹¹ The name of the star is called Wormwood;  and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

¹² The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

¹³ Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”  Revelation 8:6-13.

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Today, we start reading Scripture which describe the events following the seven angels sounding the seven trumpets.  It is difficult to understand the meaning, and for that reason, today’s devotion will leap ahead to the summary after the seventh angel sounded the seventh trumpet to help us understand the purpose and the accomplishment.

“Then the seventh angel sounded;  and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ;  and He will reign forever and ever.”  And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying,

“We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.  And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”  Revelation 11:15-18.

God reigns forever and ever.  Today’s Scripture describes God’s wrath as a part of that reign.  

“¹⁰ Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
¹¹ Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
¹² Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”  Psalm 2:10-12.